MACO ®

Compact Model
Blow Molding Machine Control System Application Note

The MACO Compact machine control system is a scalable system, designed to • Total blow molding machine control
meet even the most demanding blow molding applications. The open design
• 100 point parison profile
allows you to integrate the control of virtually any process variable.
• Graphically enter and display the parison
The MACO Compact offers the advantage of a totally integrated package that profile
includes state of the art closed loop parison process control, clamp control,
• Actual tooling performance versus entered
linear positioning control of machine or auxiliary functions, pressure/flow control,
profile displayed
auto tuned heat/cool temperature control, sequential machine control, and
built in timing and counting. All control is integrated into a single 4, 6, or 8 slot • Separate weight & die gap settings
chassis with expansion into multi-chassis capability available. Other optional
• Very high speed loop closure -
features include Statistical Process Control (SPC),math functions, and several less than 1ms
communications options.
• Multiple security levels
The MACO Compact operator interface is a sleek new flexible design that provides
• Large color touch screen
a full range of cost effective HMI’s for the Compact control system. It is available
with a 12.1 inch TFT display, and an 800 x 600 viewing resolution, as well as an • Store parison setups to Internal memory or
optional touch-screen interface. In addition, there are several keyboard options, USB sticks
ranging from a touch-screen only version to full numeric keypad with 27 machine
• Screen captures
function keys, and different combinations of E-Stop blanks and machine function
keys. The display supports process trending, process line graphs, bar graphs, • Logic executive <2.0 ms
custom machine graphics, text displays, alarm messages, and SPC control charts.
• SPC

The display is provided with a Strong ARM 200MHz processor equipped with up • Cycle to cycle data logging
to 64M of Nand flash memory and runs on a Microsoft® CE.net operating system.
• RLD viewer
It is equipped with a real time clock and battery backup. Ethernet communications
is standard. There are two USB ports, one of which is on the front side of the
display. A compact flash device is included for recipe and file storage.

Screens are programmed by means of an enhanced OPtiGrafix screen editor.

The OPtiGrafix screen editor can be used to create multilanguage (including
Asian character) screens. Line graphs can be created, displayed and stored to
the compact flash. Create custom bitmap buttons for your application, or choose
from a large variety supplied with the controller CD.

A version of the MACO Compact is also available utilizing an Optima PC with

Wonderware Intouch.

Get the most from your process

MACO®
Compact Model

The 100 point parison profile is displayed graphically SPC Distribution Curve
on a large display

Parison Control Auto-Tune Temperature Control

The parison card provides closed loop control of the die/mandrel MACO Compact controllers provide up to 48 zones per chassis
positions of up to eight independent heads per chassis. The parison of heat or heat/cool auto-tune temperature control. Standard
feature can be used for both time based and position based profiling on temperature control features are:
continuous, accumulator, or injection types of blow molding machinery.
One or two parison cards, each capable of up to four channels of
parison control (or alternately, accumulator or injection unit control) • Type J or K thermocouples
perform most parison functions. To achieve fast response and precise
• Auto-Tuning or user selectable manual tuning
tooling position, the output of the parison module is adjusted every
millisecond to match actual tooling position against the desired parison • Standby (warm-up) and run set points
profile to minimize material usage and improve part quality.
• Process high, low, and deviation alarms
Four independent profiles – each with as many as 100 points – are • Thermocouple break (TCB) with Auto-Comp™ and heater
available on each parison control card. Several heads can use the same
profile, or each head can have its own profile. burnout (HBO) alarms
• Temperature status, alarms, and control enable are accessible
The operator station will display the entire profile on one screen. Enter
any number of master set points (2 or more), and select any one of through machine logic
five modes of interpolation (flat, linear, three types of parabolic) to
automatically interpolate the remainder of the 100 parison segments.
Sequential Machine Control
Between each of the 100 segments, the controller will interpolate every Relay ladder logic is generated using the off line relay ladder diagram
2.0 milliseconds, which means a 2 second parison drop will have 1,000 (RLD) software and then downloaded to the controller. The controller’s
target values. multi-bus, multi-processor architecture allows process specific events
to be monitored and used in logic to perform
Parison “marking” is featured to help with part run in. Each parison time-critical machine operations. Process events can also be initiated
profile has its own independent weight, and with the optional math
in RLD. Features of the sequential machine control include:
feature, weight can be increased or decreased based on process
conditions for closed loop weight control. Velocity push out control is
available for coordinated control of accumulator and die head. • Logic generation and editing using PC-based RLD software
Synchronous Shoot and Fill ensures that the independent accumulators • Typical program execution time less than 2.0 milliseconds
on a two sided machine start and stop filling and shooting at the • Access to SPC alarms and screen capture functions
same time, even when the machine is setup to run two totally different
parts with different shot sizes. It also adjusts for real world variations • Built-in timing, counting, and real time clock functions
common in the filling and shooting of plastic in the accumulators. This
proprietary routine automatically monitors and adjusts the filling and
shooting rate every 4 milliseconds during the entire filling and shooting Hydraulics and Positioning Control
Additional features for open loop and closed loop hydraulics and
process, which results in less setup time, better part quality and
positioning control are also provided. As many as four analog outputs
reduced cycle times.
per card can be used to drive machine proportional or servo valves
for additional machine functions. Inputs to the hydraulic/positioning
Line graphs can be used to display the parison profile and the actual
control can include position sensors, pressure transducers, or a
parison process value on the screen where the profile is entered.
tachometer.
Each profile can be saved to internal memory, or stored on a removable
USB stick or compact flash. Profiles can also be saved as recipes with
the balance of a part set up.
MACO®
Compact Model
Timing and Counting
User definable timers and counters are available as required by your
application. Each base system provides 128 timers in combinations
of on or off-delay, 32 counters, 16 event timers, 8 hour meters, and
a real time clock (RTC) function. The RTC has set point scheduled
control relays for initiating internal or external control functions.

RLD Viewer
The RLD Viewer is a web server application that runs on a personal
computer. The personal computer and the MACO Compact are
connected via Ethernet, which allows the RLD logic and other items
to be a web browser on the PC. Logic, labels, and addresses can be
searched and sorted. Once a specific control relay or RLD section
has been id portion of the logic can be viewed dynamically, with CRs
and coils ‘energizing’ graphically as the logic runs on the machine.

MACO Customer First Program with eWon.

This standard feature allows the ability to have remote access to
monitor and troubleshoot processing machinery from a distant
location.

Live RLD Viewer Screen • Reduce service onsite time and travel costs
• Monitor with alarming and data logging

Statistical Process Control (SPC) • Secure remote access to tweak the parameters
Statistical Process Control provides for the simultaneous calculation • Minimize technician on site visits
of ten different user selectable parameters. Any process value from
the system can be selected as an SPC parameter. Each of the ten • Near real time equipment status updates
parameters allows selection of sample size, time or event based
triggering, time between readings, time between sample groups, and
Benefits of the MACO Customer First Program
upper and lower control specification limits. X-Bar, R, and histogram
charts may be displayed for each of the values. Calculated X-Bar, R, • Increase machine availability
Cr, and CpK values are also available.
• Problems can be resolved much quicker
The last 100 calculated values for each of the 10 parameters remain • Technical support can be more efficient
in memory and are available for the operator to view and print on
demand or automatically after 100 points have been collected. SPC • Remote training can be provided
alarms based on industry accepted standards are available to the • Helps extend our limited technical resources
sequential machine control to make machine decisions based on part
quality.
Saves money
Security • These remote service calls are included in the contract price
The MACO Compact offers a number of different tools to limit access
to the controller. The programmer can use these tools to tailor each • A typical paid onsite service call is $3500 to $5000 for EACH
application to specific customer needs. These tools include:
visit
• Requested changes to the program to add or change features
• Definable codes for different levels of access
are much less expensive
• Entire screen level access
• Individual set point level access
Higher customer satisfaction
• Security code dependent control relays
• Fewer unanswered questions
• Control relays to indicate the active screen
• More efficient training
• Much faster response regardless of who’s issue it may be
Data Collection and Storage
Parison profiles, recipes, SPC data, screen captures, alarm logging,
and data logging can be stored and loaded from USB sticks or
compact flash cards. Data files are Microsoft Office compatible.
“This is a valuable tool that saves time and money by not having
to send a technician on site to make the changes locally.”
MACO®
Compact Model

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Document Number HA136781USA Issue 5 February 2015